When Past and Presant Collide
by Laina Inverse
Summary: Three girls must set out to save the world from one evil person. They are joined by their soulmates and friends in the fight, but will they come out on top? SlayersRanma crossover, Alternate universe DEAD
1. Prologue: Dreams of the past

Disc: You're only seeing this once, so listen up. Any chara with an * by their name indicated original characters. Anything in ( ) with a number indicates words or items I will translate at the parts end.  
  
And this is an AU fic, so don't expect me to stay in the continual timeline laid out for both animes. Also, expect a bit of OOC-ness.  
  
Prologue:  
  
Dreams of the past.  
  
In the village of the Joketsuzoku, the guardians of Jusenkyo had begun to tell their tales. Firelight flickered and flared as the children listened to their leader, who was an adequate story-weaver as well.  
  
The golden-blond hair Princess wove tales of mystery and magic. The children never once took their eyes from the fires where the story was told, as the Princesses auburn-haired sister served hot-chocolate, while the orange haired one served small sandwiches.   
  
One the sidelines, three young men watched as the sisters worked. One seemed to be made completely of stone, yet the other two were normal, well, as normal as the companions of Lina Inverse could be.  
  
Gourry, Zelgadis and Xellos watched the fires as well, interested in the old legend that Laina Inverse*, the oldest of the triplets was telling her young charges. Lana Inverse*, the Red-haired chocolate server corrected her a couple of times, and the fires color changed then from gold to red, then back. Lina, although serving sandwiches was also keeping a close eye on the story that formed from her older siblings magic  
  
The six companions would never guess that their lives would change anymore then they already had, and that their stories would be lost to countless generations as magic slowly left the world.  
  
In the year of 1998 (assuming) three different mind dreamed the lives of the Slayers women. Little did they know, that Destiny and Fate would rule their lives, or that they would be called on to save the world.  
  
Again.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
And there you have it, the first part to my Story.  
  
Hope to see you again soon! ^__^  
  
Laina out. 


	2. Part 1: A twist of fate

Disc: See prologue. Ranma will be her in female form, him in male form. No other distinctions will be made.  
  
Part 1:  
  
A twist of fate  
  
-Tendo household-  
  
Genma-panda carefully reached for his son, Ranma, to throw him out the window in preparation for their morning sparring. He grabbed Ranma by the back of his tanktop, and was ready to throw him out the window, when Ranma decided to wake up, and reverse the throw.  
  
"Panda no baka(1)" Ranma growled, tossing his Father out the window, and into the koi pond.  
  
Ebony-haired Ranma then proceeded to jump out the window after the cursed martial artist, and pound the stuffing out of him, for waking him up from that interesting dream. Although he wouldn't admit it.  
  
A lucky toss from the Panda sent the pigtailed boy into the koi pond, where he changed into his cursed form, that of a short, busty redhead. Ranma flipped back her bangs, and the daily sparring continued...  
  
"Breakfast."  
  
At least until Kasumi Tendo, oldest of the three girls, said that word. Genma and Ranma both broke off sparring, and dashed to the table, where Akane and Soun Tendo already sat.  
  
"Itadakemasu(2)" the duo said, digging into the home cooked food.  
  
Akane looked at Ranma in annoyance, as he rushed through his food, and upstairs to get into his clothes.  
  
"Boys," grumbled the short-haired, short-tempered fiancee of Ranma. "They take to long to do anything."  
  
"What was that ya uncute slowpoke?" Ranma taunted, as she poured a kettle of hot water over herself, changing back into his male form. "Like you don't take forever ta do stuff."  
  
"Ranma!" Akane yelled, pulling back her mallet. "Take that back!"  
  
"And ya can't even swim! With summer comin along, you really need ta hurry up an learn or sumthin."  
  
That was all it took. Akane swung her mallet at the unsuspecting Ranma's head, sending him straight on course for Furinkan High School.  
  
"Uncuuute!" Came the dwindling cry.  
  
Akane stalked off to school, ignoring the panda and her father as the celebrated the love(3) their children shared.  
  
-Kimara household-  
  
"Linda," came the call, "Linda, you're going to have no time for breakfast!"  
  
Linda Kimara* sighed, and placed her journal in it's oaken drawer, locking it in the process.  
  
"I'm coming!" she yelled back.   
  
The crimson eyed teenage girl made a face at the uniform hanging on her closet door. The teal jumper over white blouse combination would look terrible on her, but anything was better than the sailor uniform she'd had to wear at her last school.  
  
"Linda! Hurry up!"  
  
"Hold your horses sis!" Linda snapped. "It ain't like I'm gonna die if I'm late."  
  
Linda's older sibling, Sarah rolled her eyes.  
  
"Well, hustle your butt if you want to get a ride squirt," she said cooly. "I'm leaving for the university in fifteen minutes, with or without you."  
  
"Okay, okay! Go away now!"  
  
Linda shut the door in her sisters face, and proceeded to toss her yellow PJ's onto the hardwood floor and get dressed. She ran a brush through her waist length orangish yellow hair, and yanked her leather headband on, to keep her hair out of her eyes.  
  
Linda paused for a moment, and looked again at herself in the rose patterned mirror.  
  
'I wonder what that dream meant...' she mused.  
  
"Linda! Now!"  
  
"Coming!"  
  
-Mintayo apartment-  
  
Yawning, Raika Mintayo* sat up and stretched, squinting at the bright light. Her gentle purple eyes were a bit empty as she recalled the dream she'd just had.  
  
"I wish that could be real," she sighed softly. "I had family and friends."  
  
Shaking her head sharply, she attempted to drive the dream from her mind.  
  
"No. I'm alone, and I like it that way."  
  
Still, the 16 year old girl pulled out her journal from under her pillow, and wrote the dream down. Then, she put it back, and slid out from between the sakura(4) printed blankets.  
  
Long golden-blond hair pooled at her feet on the soft green-carpeted floor. Humming a morning tune, Raika pulled off the white nightgown on her way to the furo(5). She was grateful for the moderately sized apartment that she called her home, and wondered what school would be like.   
  
After a quick fifteen minute bath and shower, she coasted back into her room, feeling more awake, and refreshed. Running a brush through the damp hair, she rapidly braided it, and tied it with a purple ribbon.  
  
Pulling on her clothes (I'm not giving details Girls gotta have _some_ secrets ya know.) Raika proceeded out to the small kitchen and dining room combination to snag a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast.  
  
On the small table was not only a bowl of already made oatmeal and a glass of water, but also a note written in purple pen. Raika picked it up curiously, and scanned it.  
  
::Good luck! ((^_^))v  
  
Your favorite Trickster Priest.::  
  
Giggling, she ate her breakfast and picked up her bookbag, with it's tiny Sanrio Kitty key-chain, slipped on her outdoor shoes, and left, locking the door behind her.  
  
'Something tells me today is going to be very interesting.'  
  
- - -  
  
Ranma came splashing down in Furinkan High's recently uncovered pool. Surfacing with an incoherent splutter and splash, the cursed martial artist headed for the edge of the pool.  
  
'Stupid tomboy,' she fumed silently. 'Always jumping to conclusions!'  
  
The teenager girl was about to haul herself out, when a hand was held out to her. Surprised, Ranma looked up into a pair of crimson colored eyes, and a friendly smile.  
  
"Hey, are you alright? Do you need a hand?"  
  
Ranma Saotome of the Anything Goes school of Martial Arts was struck by a sudden shiver of familiarity. Taking the other girls hand, she allowed herself to be pulled out of the pool and onto the dry ground.  
  
"Thank, um..."  
  
The girl grinned, and bowed politely, waist-length orangish-red hair falling over one shoulder.  
  
"Atashiwa Kimara Linda desu. Lina to iimasu kudasai!(6)"  
  
Ranma returned the bow, and shrugged.  
  
"I'm Saotome Ranma. Yoroshiku(7). You new?"  
  
Linda put a hand on the back of her head, a familiar gesture when embarrassed, and nodded.  
  
"Well then, ta get some confusion outta the way... and to save your pocket money, I might as well 'splain some things now. First off, I need some hot water."  
  
-Insert standard Jusenkyo and life explanation here- (8)  
  
Linda stared at Ranma, eyes wide and unbelieving.  
  
"No offense Saotome-san(9)," she began.  
  
Mentally Ranma winced.  
  
'Great,' he thought morosely to himself. 'Another person who's gonna think I'm a freak.'  
  
"But your father is a moron!"  
  
Ranma looked up startled. Then he grinned.  
  
"Can't argue with ya there Linda," the martial artist stated. "An please, jus' call me Ranma."  
  
"And for the rest of those girls... well, we'll just have to do a little talking."  
  
Ranma winced.  
  
"Ah, ya might not wanna do that..." he started to say. The warning bell interrupted him.   
  
Linda jumped, and looked around as the shrill ringing cut through the air.  
  
"Reminds me of America," she muttered, shaking her ears free of the ringing noise. "Loud there too."  
  
Ranma laughed, and motioned for her to follow.  
  
"The loony Principal's out for a couple of weeks, so I'll jus' take ya to the VP. He'll help you with stuff."  
  
"Arigato! (10)"  
  
- - -  
  
Raika stood in the doorway of her new classroom, holding her class assignment in one hand, her bookbag tightly clenched in the other.  
  
'Okay, here we are.' she mentally encouraged herself. 'Go talk to the teacher.'  
  
Walking up to the teachers desk, she stood respectfully by, and waited. And waited. And waited.  
  
"Ano," she said quietly "Sumimasen...?"(11)  
  
"Hey Teach!" a male voice called from directly behind her. "Ya got some new students!"  
  
The teacher jumped from doing his work, as Raika squeaked and jumped herself. Turning around, she came face to face with a pair of crimson eyes, and a taller pair that were a bright sapphire blue. The young man with a black braided pigtail, and bright blue eyes blinked, then put his hand behind his head.  
  
"Ah, gome.(12)" he said sheepishly. "Didn' mean ta scare ya."  
  
"It's... it's okay," Raika replied, flustered.  
  
The teacher interposed himself into their conversation with a delicate cough.  
  
"Thank you Ranma," he said. "Now to your seat."  
  
Raika bowed respectfully to the teacher and the other student, as Ranma left. The teacher waved a nonchalant hand, and both females looked confusedly at him.  
  
"Don't bother with the bowing please," he said. "I'm Mr. Sekura, but just call me Teach. It's what everyone else does."  
  
Raika exchanged a sidelong glance with the other new student, and smiled shyly.  
  
"I'm Mintayo Raika," She said  
  
"Kimara Linda desu."  
  
"Yoroshiku." They all said at once. Linda and Raika looked at each other again, and both giggled.  
  
Mr. Sekura smiled at both of them, and motioned for them to wait while he got the classes attention. He did so quite effectively by taking a yardstick, putting a megaphone in front of it, and slamming the yardstick down onto the desk. By itself, the yardstick made a loud crack sound, but amplified by the megaphone, it made everyone in the room jump to alertness within seconds.  
  
"Alright class, school is in session now, so behave. We have two new students joining us today. Introduce yourselves girls."  
  
Raika gulped, took a step forward, and waved nervously.  
  
"Atashiwa Mintayo Raika desu. Yoroshiku."  
  
Linda grinned, and flashed a victory sign to the class.  
  
"Atashiwa Kimara Linda desu. Yoroshiku."  
  
"Do you girls have anything to say about yourselves?"  
  
"I was born in America," Linda stated. "So don't think that just because I'm short I can't throw a punch."  
  
She winked one of her crimson eyes, and looked to Raika, who thought for a minute.  
  
"I'm not much of a people person," Raika said clearly. "Just don't annoy me, and we all shall get along fine."  
  
Her normally friendly purple eyes had become cool, like ice. Then, she smiled slightly.  
  
"Well, take a seat girls. And don't forget to turn off your cell phones."  
  
Linda blinked, dug in her bag and pulled out her cell, turning it off. Raika just walked to a seat near the window, in front of a short-haired girl, and placed her bag at her feet.  
  
"I don't have a cell," she murmured to herself. "I don't need one."  
  
Linda took a seat next to Ranma, and waved at him slightly.  
  
"Alright people, settle down," Mr. Sekura said genially. "Today's lesson is on..."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Dang that was a long chapter. Not bad if I do say so myself ^^  
  
For those who might have already guessed, Raika is Rhines new name. I want something that sounded Japanese.   
  
Now, for translations.  
  
1. Panda no baka: Panda you idiot  
  
2. Itadakemasu: can be translated as down the hatch, thanks for the food, or anything like that.  
  
3. No offense to Akane lovers (Offense to KOTF ) but it doesn't look much like love in the first 20 or so manga. So it's not love to me.  
  
4. Sakura: Cherry blossoms  
  
5.furo: Japanese bathing room. Contains a shower and a tub.  
  
6. "I am Kimara Linda. Please call me Linda!"  
  
7. "Nice to meet you."  
  
8. If you don't know this by now, I wonder about you if you're a Ranma fan. If not, find the first Ranma manga and find out!  
  
9. San, chan, kun, sensei, sempai, and sama are honorifics the Japanese use. Sensei is teacher, and the others detonate rank like upperclassman to lowerclassman. The lowerclassman calls the upperclassman sempai.  
  
10. (Domo) Arigato (gozaimasu): Thanks, thank you, thank you very much  
  
11. "Um... excuse me?"  
  
12. Gomen (nasai): Can also by said gome. Means sorry. I'm sorry. I'm very sorry. 


	3. Part 2: A meeting of three alike minds

Disc: see prologue  
  
Part 2:  
  
A meeting of three alike-minds  
  
Time seemed to drag endlessly on until lunch, according to both new girls, and Ranma. Raika watched ceaselessly out the window, never getting caught, and Linda doodled on some of the paper she'd brought. Ranma, after Mr. Sekura had left, just slept.  
  
Finally, the lunch bell rang. Ranma woke with a start, and fell out of his chair, to the amusement of Linda and Raika. Scratching the back of his head in embarrassment, Ranma stood up, and looked at Linda curiously.  
  
Linda grinned, and walked over to the blond girl, who had gone back to staring out the window.  
  
"Rai-chan," Linda said. "Do you want to eat lunch with me? Well, me and Ranma I mean."  
  
Raika blinked, and blinked again, then slowly nodded.  
  
"Alright, I guess." she murmured. "Thank you."  
  
Linda flashed a victory sign over to Ranma, who stood there, looking uncomfortable about being put on the spot.  
  
"Ano, Linda, we should hurry." he said as Raika stood up. "Unless the chaos factor goes up again."  
  
Linda snickered, and Raika looked on curiously. Ranma noticed the look, and flushed slightly.  
  
"I'll clarify once we sit down, 'kay?"  
  
"Alright..."  
  
Raika followed Ranma and Linda to an old oak tree on a more deserted part of the campus. Something tugged at the back of her mind, and she turned to look over her shoulder. She saw the short haired girl she'd sat in front of that morning, who was scowling in their direction.  
  
"That girl is following us," the blond teen pointed out.  
  
Ranma sighed.  
  
"She's my iinazuke,(1) Akane Tendo. Like I said, I'll explain....."  
  
And explain he did. Raika lost count of the times where she had to visibly restrain her awe and anger, conscious only of the radical tale spilling from her new friends lips and mind.  
  
As the explanation drew to a close, Raika shook her head in wonder.  
  
"I don't envy you your life Ranma-san, but... how do you stand it? Day in and day out of such complete torture?!"  
  
Ranma thought for a second as Linda snickered. Raika shook her head again, this time in sympathy as the martial artist could find no real explanation for why he stuck around. Ranma eventually shrugged helplessly.  
  
"Honor?" he offered.  
  
Linda smacked her forehead, and Raika sighed in mild exasperation, but neither contradicted him. Ranma smiled sheepishly, and opened his bento,(2) the other girls following suit. All three of them ate their lunch in moderate silence. Then, Linda turned to Raika.  
  
"What's your story?" she asked. "There's more to you than most people think."  
  
Caught off guard, Raika tried to take in a breath, and some food went down the wrong part of her throat. Instantly she began coughing. Ranma smacked her carefully on the back, dislodging the bit of food, which she promptly swallowed, along with a great deal of her soda.  
  
"....domo arigato," she said after she'd caught her breath. "Domo arigato gozaimas."  
  
Ranma waved his hand embarrassed, and Linda pounced on the opportunity.  
  
"Raika, what's your house like? Are your parents nice to you?"  
  
The blue-eyed teen looked down at the remains of rice in her bento, and bit her lip.  
  
"I.... don't have any parents."  
  
Ranma gave her a sympathetic glance, and Linda flinched.  
  
"Gomen nasai Raika-chan..."  
  
Raika shook her head, and smiled shyly at her new friends.  
  
"It's no big deal," she said. "It was a long time ago. I pretty much take care of myself, thanks to an inheritance I got from them."  
  
She pulled two strips of paper from the pocket of her skirt, and scribbled down her address, and phone number then gave them to Ranma and Linda.  
  
"Just if you need a place to get away..." the blond girl offered.  
  
Linda smiled cheerfully at her, and Ranma looked grateful. Raika allowed herself to feel a bit happy at the prospect of having friends, real friends.  
  
"Ranma, what are you doing?!"  
  
Wincing the teenage male looked up at the scowling face of his iinazuke. Akane stood there, arms crossed, waiting for his reply. Surprisingly, it was Raika who spoke up.  
  
"And why exactly should you care?" she asked cooly.  
  
Ranma and Linda edged away from the suddenly icy Raika, who dusted of her skirt and stood up to face Akane.  
  
"After all, it's not like you do anything to help him feel safe."  
  
Blazing in fury, Akane met Raika's ice cold eyes, and in them, saw something frightening. Raika would not hesitate to hurt anyone who got in the way of her life or her friends lives. It was an in-excusable act.   
  
"Well, he's _my_ iinazuke" Akane said defensively. "I have a right to know what perverted things he's doing!"  
  
"As it so happens, Miss Tendo, he was doing nothing, as I'm sure you have sen, considering you've been watching us the whole time. Now would you please leave us alone? We are only talking."  
  
The dangerous glint left the purple eyes, and Akane found herself able to move again. She did so with all due speed, and made as if to hit Raika. Raika didn't even flinch as the fist came closer, and it was Linda who moved.  
  
"Hey, leave her alone!" Linda said, knocking Akane to the ground. "She didn't do anything!"  
  
From here he was sitting, Ranma had watched the whole exchange with no mild amount of surprise. This was the first time someone had stuck up for him without needing to, and she'd almost gotten hit by Akane for her pains. As Akane sulkingly walked away, and Raika and Linda sat back down, he could only look at them in wonder.  
  
"Uh...." he began. "Thanks."  
  
Raika and Linda both smiled at him.  
  
"I'm not going to let someone like her interrupt me," Raika said. "She's not at all polite, and needs to work very hard on her manners."  
  
"And when she tried to punch Raika, I just got so mad that she'd do something like that. Raika was only stating the truth after all." Linda affirmed.  
  
"Foul magus Saotome! What new beauties hast thou enslaved to thine will?!"  
  
All three facefaulted. Linda was the first to recover, and she glared up at the young man in a kendo-ish uniform, carrying a bukito.(3) The other two sat up as well, brushing grass and dirt from their outfits, and faces, before turning to glare at the kendoist.  
  
"Let me guess..." Linda growled. "This would be Kuno, correct?"  
  
Ranma nodded, and Raika gave Kuno a once over glace, then proceeded to ignore him.  
  
"Ah, truly the Kami(4) must have sent such beauteous maidens as a gift for mine loyal and courageous self in return for besting the Foul Saotome."  
  
Linda Raika and Ranma all shared annoyed look, and Lina stood up.  
  
"If you don't mind Kuno, we're trying to eat lunch with our si... friend here." Linda stumbled over the word, almost saying 'sister.' "Would you be kind enough to leave, or do I have to break that boken (3) over your thick head?"  
  
"Ah, such ferocity, such beauty! Surely thou dost"  
  
Linda grabbed the boken from the babbling moron, and proceeded to show the others how persuasive she could be. Raika had to turn away after a few minutes, but Ranma watched wide-eyed as Linda showed that she could indeed use a bukito, and she knew just how to get rid of perverts.  
  
"And stay away!" The crimson eyed girl snapped, as she broke the sword over Kuno's head, and kicked him into HEO(5).   
  
Fuming still, Linda flopped back down onto the grass. Raika looked sideways at the girl, and tilted her head in thought.  
  
'That looked familiar. Like the girl.... from my dream.'  
  
She didn't get much chance to reflect, as another distraction, or rather, two of them, came leaping over the wall, and running in their general direction.  
  
"Ranma prepare to Die!"  
  
"Saotome, I will defeat you and free my beloved Shampoo!"  
  
One of them, a boy with long black hair and voluminous robes shot chains in Ranma's direction, but managed to snag Raika instead. The blond haired girl gave out a surprised squeak, as the young male laughed triumphantly.  
  
"I have you _now_ Saotome!" he cried.  
  
The other boy, the one with the bandanna on his head was currently fighting with Ranma.  
  
"Put on your glasses you dumb duck," Ranma snapped, dodging fists and feet. "I'm over here!"  
  
Raika found herself in a bind, literally. She'd raised her arms in an ineffective block, and found them pinned to her chest, with her hands touching the chains. A memory tickled the back of her mind, and she blinked.  
  
"{Mono volt?}" she murmured.  
  
Ranma, Linda, and the boy with the bandanna all turned and stared at the bright flash of light. Raika and the person who held the chains cried out in pain, as the lightning coursed up and down the metal length.  
  
Linda made as if to move for Raika, but Ranma grabbed her by the arm.  
  
"Don't touch them," he said evenly. "That lightnin might get you as well."  
  
Linda frowned, and opened her mouth to argue, then looked closely at Ranma. His blue eyes were completely focused on Raika and the other boy, whom she assumed was Mousse, and she felt his hand tighten on her arm. She to returned to watching the... well, she wasn't exactly certain what it was.  
  
"C'mon sis..." Linda and Ranma whispered in unison. "Kick his sorry behind."  
  
It was only after a few moments had passed that Mousse went unconscious, and freed the blond teen from the prison of lightning and metal. Linda rushed to her side and steadied her, as she wobbled precariously on her feet.  
  
"What was that?" the orange-haired girl breathed. "It was so amazingly beautiful!"  
  
Raika just looked at her friend dryly, and coughed.  
  
"If it's all the same to you," the drained teen said, "I'd rather not repeat the experience. That hurt!"  
  
"Saotome! Now you will"  
  
"Oh give it a rest Ryouga," Ranma snapped. "I don' feel like listenin' ta you anymore!"  
  
The pigtailed teen blurred in an attack, that sent Ryouga flying through the air.  
  
"Kachuu Tenshin Amaguriken!(6)" he yelled.  
  
Ryouga flew over the wall, and Ranma walked over to the girls.  
  
"Raika, you okay?"  
  
The purple-eyed girl looked at him, and managed a weary half-grin.  
  
"I've been worse," she said. "It's actually not as bad as it looked. After all, the Mono Volt was only a low-level spell. I guess going through the chains amplified it a bit."  
  
Both Ranma and Linda looked at her.  
  
"Ya know... strangely I understood that..." Ranma remarked.  
  
"Yeah, me too..."  
  
"And I'm not even sure what I'm talking about," Raika said softly. "It just kinda... came to me."  
  
"Raika....?"  
  
With a loud crashing sound, lightning lanced through the sky, and thunder rumbled three seconds before a downpour ensued. As Ranma felt a familiar tingle wash over him, he, now female, squashed the instinct to run. Instead, he met Raika's astonished eyes squarely. The blond girl reached out an unshaking hand, and gently traced the contours of Ranma's face.  
  
"What the heck is going on here?!"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Hee hee hee ^^ I'm so proud of myself for figuring out how to work it in. Anyways, I really would like some reviews.... please? *gives uber cute puppy-dog look*  
  
1) Iinazuke: fiancé (works for both genders.)  
  
2) bento: lunchbox. I'm not to certain about how this one looks, so....  
  
3) Boken/bukito: basically, their two different names for types of wooden swords.  
  
4)Kami: god.  
  
5) HEO: Higher Earth orbit. (Hey, everyone's gotten kicked into LEO, so why not HEO?)  
  
6) Kachuu Tenshin Amaguriken: Chestnuts roasting on an open fire. Rapid punching technique used mainly by Ranma. 


	4. Part 3: A long forgotten memory

Disc: see prologue

AN: I'm super sorry about how long this one took for me to get out. ; If it wasn't one thing, it was another. - -;

Part 3: A long-forgotten memory

Raika looked from Linda to Ranma, and back as they stood in the rain.

"Does this seem... familiar to either of you as well?" she asked dazedly.

Linda and Ranma nodded, as a memory of forgotten days seeped back into their minds.

Flashback

Linda and Ranma supported a beaten Raika between them, as rain continued to fall around them. The lightning flashed against the coal black sky, and the two girls began to look for a place to hide and recuperate. As the darkness surrounded them, they understood that they were to late. It was their time to die.

End flashback

Linda looked at Ranma and Raika with a serious expression.

"I think we all need to find a place to dry off, and talk. Rai-chan, you're home is empty, and close. Can we?"

Raika nodded, flipping some wet bangs out of her eyes. Ranma and Linda helped the non-athletic girl over the stone wall around the school, and onto the sidewalk on the other side. Raika then took the lead, and showed them the way to her apartment.

"It's on the top floor of the building," she said apologetically. "I took the penthouse, mainly for privacy."

Linda whistled in amazement as she and Ranma looked up at the size of the apartment building.

"And you live here all by yourself sis?" Ranma asked. "Aren't you lonely?"

Raika turned and looked at the red head in confusion.

"Sis?" the blond-haired girl asked.

Ranma flushed, and looked down. Raika however gave a slight smile.

"... I like that. I suppose it can be kind of lonely living by oneself, but, well, I've been by myself for so long, it doesn't really matter much to me anymore."

Raika pulled on Ranma's and Linda's arms, tugging them out of the rain into the main area of the large building. Within moments, thanks to a speedy elevator, the three girls were on the top floor, and Raika was unlocking her door.

The main room was painted a somber blue, touched here and there with a flash of another color. The furniture was a simple couch-bed in a deep indigo blue which invoked more feelings of deja vu from Linda and Ranma. Raika disappeared for a few minutes, digging through her linen closet for three towels. She handed one to Ranma and Linda as she reentered the room, using one for herself.

"Take a seat anywhere... sorry I don't have much to offer today, but it's another couple of days before I need to go shopping for myself again."

Linda and Ranma shrugged, and sat down Indian style on the soft almost black-purple carpet.

"So..." Ranma said. "How do we start?"

"Where do we start is more appropriate I think," Linda said.

All three of them thought silently for a moment, the Raika snapped her fingers.

"I know," she said. "In my fathers collection of library books, I saw an old set that looked like someone's journals! Maybe those'll have information we can use."

Linda and Ranma exchanged grins, as Raika beckoned for them to follow her into a room filled with cardboard boxes.

"Sorry it's such a mess, but when the maids packed up, they kind of threw books in haphazardly. It'll take a while to find the box that had the journals in it, if they're even in the same one."

Linda, Ranma and Raika all but dove into the boxes, looking for clues that would help them figure out their questions.

-three hours later-

Dusty, tired, and frustrated, the three girls were down to the last seemingly two boxes. The other boxes had been folded up as their contents had been shelved with no particular order, but a great deal of care for the aged ones. Unnoticed by them, one box seemed to have a faint glow coming from it.

"Ready to take a break?" Raika asked. "Sorry to get you two caught up in the shelving of all my books. I was supposed to do it a couple of weeks ago, but I got caught up in learning my way around, and then registering for school so..."

Ranma grinned amiably, and tried to beat the dust out of her dark blue shirt. Linda shrugged, and sneezed.

"No biggie," Linda said. "After all isn't this what friends are for?"

Raika gave a small smile, and stood up, dusting off the skirt of her uniform.

"I'll go make some tea. And Ranma, would you like some hot water to help change you back?"

"Nah, I'm good like this," the red-head replied. "Makes it easier ta slip inta small places... Hey, what that?"

Ranma's sharp blue eyes had spotted the box that was glowing. Raika and Linda turned to see what the martial artists sharp eyes had spotted that theirs had missed. It was a small box, hidden back in the shadows of the corner where Raika had been looking. The blond frowned, and pushed the top open cautiously.

"How did I miss this one?" she wondered aloud. "I almost tripped over it twice."

Though the box looked small, Raika had to throw out a dozen books before she found the three that she was looking for. They were leather bound and small, obviously used for writing, and very, very old. One book had a red silk strip for a bookmark, the others had blue and purple respectively. Raika blinked, as a flicker of familiarity tugged at her.

"Here they are," the dust covered blond said, carrying the journals in her arms. "Let's break for a snack, and read them."

Linda and Ranma both gave small cheers, and the three girls left the dusty room to air out.

- - -

In the kitchen, Raika placed the books on the table, and went to the fridge.

"Like I said earlier, I don't have much to eat. I haven't gone shopping yet this week," the purple eyed girl said. "I've just been way to busy! It's insane..."

Opening the fridge, she saw an almost expired carton of milk, and two oranges. Giving off a sigh, Raika closed the fridge, and smiled sheepishly at the other two girls.

"I could order takeout," she said, "it'll take a few minutes to get here though."

Ranma and Linda both looked at each other, then Ranma spoke.

"As long as it's not from the C-cat café, or Uuchan's, it's okay with me," The redhead said, trying to be indifferent.

Linda shrugged.

"Whatever works."

The blond haired girl gave off another shy smile, picked up a nearby ordering menu, and tossed it to them.

"I like the sushi bar the best," she confided. "They make some of the best kalamari I've ever had. Pick what you'd like. I have to find the phone."

The redhead, and the girl with yellow-y orange hair both looked over the menu, and picked four large dishes each. When Raika returned with the phone, and saw what they were ordering, her purple eyes widened in surprise.

"You're going to eat that much?" she asked. "Are you sure?"

Both girls nodded, and their purple-eyed friend shrugged.

"Okay...."

Raika dialed, ordered, and nodded.

"Hai, see you then."

"So, how long?" Linda asked, as Raika hung up the phone.

"About twenty minutes," the blond girl answered. "Shall we delve into the journals until then?"

"Sounds good ta me," Ranma affirmed.

Linda grinned, and picked up the book with the purple ribbon, Ranma, the red ribboned one, and Raika grabbed the blue ribboned one. They sat, or sprawled on various items of furniture, and read.

'Strange,' Raika mused to herself. 'This isn't English, or Japanese, but I can understand it clearly.'

"This is Chinese," Ranma remarked, in a curious tone. "But I c'n read it."

Linda shrugged.

"I didn't think I could read Chinese myself, but apparently we both can. Raika?"

The purple-eyed girl nodded, then squinted slightly.

"But I have to admit that I cannot read it very well without my glasses," Raika said, closing the book with a snap. "If the delivery man shows up while I'm looking for them, my wallet is in my coat, that is hanging on the chair. There'll be a blue card in it. Just give that to him, and that'll pay for the meal."

Raika got up from her cushion-y chair, put the book down on the table, and walked into her bedroom. There, she proceeded to throw of her uniform, and change into a skort and tanktop combo, then, looked for her glasses.

Ranma and Linda continued to read, though when the heard a knock on the door, they exchanged hungry glances. Ranma bolted from her lounging position on the floor, dropping the book in the process, Linda simply took her time with putting the bookmark back, and setting the old journal down carefully.

By that time, the redhead had already opened the door to the delivery man, and relieved him of the boxes, giving him her cutest smile.

"Thank you," She chirped, and Linda handed the man the blue card that Raika had described.

"Yeah, thanks," the crimson eyed girl said.

"You're welcome," the man said, and turned to walk away, "Inverse sisters."

But neither girl heard him, as they had already shut the door. Ranma set aside the sushi that Raika had ordered, as the blond girl came out of her bedroom.

"Raika, how often do you order from that place?" Linda asked. "Cause the guy seemed disappointed when he saw us."

"What did he look like?" Raika asked, as she opened the takeout box.

"Well, he had purple hair, It looked kinda fruity. It was all straight n stuff, and he didn't open his eyes, even though he was looking right at us."

"Yea," Ranma chimed in, swallowing her food. "Just this freaky smile."

"Hm. He must be new then." The purple-eyed girl mused, lifting some sushi with her chopsticks. "I usually order from there at least once a week. Did he have a nametag on?"

"Er..."

"I didn't check, did you?"

"Nope."

"Oh well."

-hours later-

"Wow, it's late," Raika said, looking up from the journal she was reading. "You guys might want to head off home. I can bring the journals tomorrow if you want another go at reading them then."

Both Ranma and Linda looked up in surprise, then out the window. Dusk was beginning to fall, and according to the old clock Raika had, it was almost seven. Ranma instantly bolted upright from her position on the couch, grabbed her shoes, and sped out the door.

"Linda, I'll bring the books tomorrow, maybe we can read more at lunch."

The crimson eyed girl shook her head.

"You'd better not," she cautioned. "With what happened today, I'm pretty sure that these journals'd just be destroyed in some way."

"True," Raika mused. "Well, see you at school tomorrow Linda....chan."

Linda grinned, waved, and left also. Raika adjusted her glasses, sighed, and began to make a list of things she'd need to get if she was going to have people over more often.

"Lets see," she murmured. "I'm going to need to go out shopping before school tomorrow, and after school as well. I should probably tell Linda-chan and Ranma....san I suppose is the most non-generic, that I'll be busy for a few days. Maybe they'll want to come with me. It has been a while since I've had any friends."

The blond haired girl yawned, and rested her head on the table.

'Only for a few minutes...'

The pen was held listlessly in her hand as she fell asleep. A few minutes later, the journal with the purple ribbon was slipped under her hand, open to a specific page, and a blanket was pulled over her shoulders. Her mysterious friend smiled from the shadows, one purple eye open and scrutinizing.

'This shouldn't take to much longer, unless they're all dense,' Xellos mused. 'And soon, things will return to normal.'


	5. Part 4: A time and place for everyone

Disc: see prologue.

Part 4:

A time and place for everyone

"Linda, where have you been?!" Mrs. Kimara demanded, as the girl walked into the house. "I've been worried sick about you!"

"Sorry mom," Linda said, removing her shoes. "I was over at one of my new friends apartment. She was helping me re-adjust to Japanese life, and all the homework."

It was an easy fib, more like a half-truth than anything else. Unfortunately Sarah chose that time to speak up.

"If she was helping you with your homework," the older girl said, somewhat sindely. "Where's your bookbag?"

Linda blinked, then gave a sheepish grin.

"I, uh, must've left it at her house...." the orang haired girl said, sliding one foot back into her shoe. "I'll be right."

"The school called and said that you weren't in your afternoon classes."

Linda froze, then slowly turned to look at her adoptive mother. The bright green eyes were blazing with anger, barely suppressed. Th crimson eyed girl gave a slight shrug.

"It was important," she said. "Very important."

"I don't care how important it was young lady. I've told you time and time again that you're lying would be the end of you. You are grounded until further notice, no ifs ands, or buts. And if I catch you going behind my back one more time, so help me, I'll throw you out of this house."

Linda scowled, and folded her arms.

"Well maybe I don't want to be here," she fired back. "After all, you never really wanted me to begin with!"

Sarah sat back on the stairs, with a bored expression, as Linda and her mother continued the shouting match.

"Well fine then!" Linda yelled, stomping up the stairs. "If you don't want me around, then I'll never come back!"

The door slammed with a loud crash, and Linda's stomping feet carried down into the main hall, as well as the thumps and bangs of a girl throwing things into something.

"Sarah, please go and lock her door," Mrs. Kimara said with a sigh. "When your father gets home, we shall all have a family meeting. I don't want her to leave before then."

Up in her room, Linda grabbed some more clothes, and stuffed them into a spare backpack as well.

"Doesn't want me around," she muttered darkly. "Never really liked me. Well, fine then. I won't see them ever again!"

There was a lot of room in the bag, Linda noticed, after her third closet trip. Curious, she looked inside, but saw only the last bundle of clothes she'd thrown in. Shrugging, she tossed her diary on top of the pile, and heard the lock click in her door.

"Oh ho, so now you're trying to lock me in, are you?" The crimson eyed girl grinned wickedly, and turned to open her window. "Well, that won't work as well as you might think."

Sticking her dream diary, daily journal, and a few of her favorite manga in the backpack, she slid out the window, and down the branches of an old tree.

'I'll go to Raika's... maybe she can put me up for the night..."

And without a backward glance, she was gone.

-Tendo dojo, same time-

"Where have you been?" Akane demanded, folding her arms tightly across her chest. "You missed dinner, and I worked so hard on it!"

Ranma breathed a small sigh of relief, and took the kettle Kasumi handed her. Now male, he looked down at Akane, as though evaluating his iinazuke. She was angry that he'd missed the meal, if it could even be called that.

"So who ordered the takeout?" Ranma asked, acting as though she hadn't said anything. "An' there better be some left for me old man!"

And to everyone's surprise, he walked right past Akane, as though she wasn't even there. Nabiki found it amusing, but Soun and Genma did not.

"Boy, when your fiancee asks you a question, you answer Growf..."

"Sorry Pops, were you tryin ta say sumthin?" Ranma asked, having 'accidently' kicked the table where a glass of water was. "I didn' catch it under all that noise you were makin."

Saotome Genma made a angry panda growl, and Ranma slid easily into a defensive stance. Nabiki, Kasumi and Akane all stepped sideways, as Panda-man went sailing through the paper door, and into the pond.

"Ranma!" Nabiki called. "That more yen you owe me."

Ranma shrugged, and moved towards the stairs, when Akane, who had gone into the kitchen, came out and shoved a plate of... something... under his nose. Only Ranma's fast reflexes saved him from falling down the stairs in a coughing fit, but the 'food' on the plate bubbled menacingly.

"Here," Akane said proudly. "Even though you don't deserve it, I saved some for you."

"Er... not hungry," the black haired man managed between coughs, "Not for toxic waste anyways."

"Now Ranma," Kasumi murmured, in her peaceful way. "Akane worked so hard on it."

"Yeah?" Well, it looks ta me like she needs ta work even harder, cause that sure ain't edible," Ranma retorted. "'sides, I ain't hungry. I ate with some friends."

To late did Ranma realize he'd all but blurted out that he'd been with other girls. Soun's demon head was enormous, but for once, he was more annoyed than scared. Even Akane's flaming red aura had little to no affect on him, but her shouting did.

"You were out with other girls weren't you?!" she demanded. "Those two girls you ate with at lunch!!!"

"You were out with other women?" Genma demanded, having just changed back to human. "Son, I'm disappointed in you! Akane is your fiancee, you should treat her right, and not hang out with other sluts."

"Linda and Raika are not sluts!" Ranma growled lowly. "They're nice ta me."

Now it was Ranma who burned with an angry blue aura. Though it didn't completely calm Soun, Genma or Akane down, it did make them a little more cautious. Not.

"Ranma!" Akane yelled. "I don't ever want to see you again! This engagement is over!"

"Fine!" Ranma shouted back, blue eyes blazing. "I never like ya anyways! Yer just a selfish, self-centered kid!"

And Ranma stalked up the stairs, and slammed the door to the room he and his father shared, leaving everyone stunned in the hallway

"Oh.... my!"

Up in the room, Ranma viciously shoved everything he owned into his training pack, and leapt out the window.

'I'll find a payphone... an' call Raika.'

- - -

The jangling of the phone startled Raika into wakefulness. Stumbling out of her chair, she tripped on the blanket, and sprawled full out onto the floor.

'Itai(1)....'

Rubbing her head with one arm, she pushed herself to her feet, and scrambled to pick up the phone.

"Moshi moshi(2)?" she mumbled, tucking a strap of hair behind her ears. "Raika speaking."

"Rai-chan?"

"Linda? What are you doing calling so late?"

"Well, I kinda got kicked out of my house. Do you mind if I...?"

"Come back here? Go for it, but it looks like rain, so you might want to hurry."

"Thanks Rai."

Raika smiled, and hung up. As she moved her hand from the phone, it rang again.

"Moshi moshi?" She said, as she held it to her ear. "Raika speaking."

"Raika, it's Ranma."

A worried frown crept onto her face.

'He sounds so unhappy,' she mused. 'What happened?'

"Is something wrong Ranma?" she asked softly, sitting down. "You sound upset."

"I... ran away. Couldn' take anymore of that crap."

"So you want to come here?"

"C'n I?"

"Of course. It's probably safer than where-ever you might wander alone. Still, you might want to hurry, I think it's about to start..."

"Raining..." came female Ranma's voice. "okay..."

"Ja ne(3), Ranma"

"Ja..."

Raika replaced the phone, and went to turn on the lights so that she could see what she was doing. Then, she went to the hall closet, and hauled out a futon, which she placed in the spare bedroom.

"Linda can probably share a room with me," she murmured aloud, "but Ranma was born as a male, not a female, so.... wait, why did I just? Oh well, they both can stay in my room."

What she had just done, was drag the futon from the guest room into her own. And had it gotten larger? Raika frowned at it, then, with a sigh, she turned away, and went to another closet to get pillows, sheets and blankets.

'Odd,' the blond girl mused. 'I don't remember buying sheets in bright blue....'

One oddity after another, and she was starting to get annoyed.

"Alright," she said quietly. "I know you're out there changing things around Trickster Priest. Quit it."

"But it's so much fun" came the reply, from directly beside her.

"It may be fun to you," she retorted, "But I'm trying to help my friends, and you're not helping me."

"Sure I am!" He protested. "You needed bigger sheets, and a futon for both of your friends. Linda's so angry, I can feel her from down the block, and Ranma's depression hangs around him like a cloud... or should I say her?"

"Why are you so interested in my friends all of a sudden," Raika demanded, hands on hips, and linens forgotten.

"Well my dear, sore wa himitsu desu(4)."

"..... I hate it when you say that." the purple eyed girl complained. "If you're not going to be useful, then go away."

He laughed, and her sense of him faded. Raika went back to what she was doing, muttering dark things under her breath. After that was done, she put on her lavender nightgown, and sat close to the door, with towels, and plain, non-descript pajamas for whoever arrived first.

She opened the door at the second knock, to a very depressed Ranma, and gently pulled her inside. Raika handed Ranma a towel, who looked at it blankly, then up at the blond girl. Pain and loss were etched into her blue eyes, that leaked tears to mix with the rainwater that ran down the feminine face.

"Oh Ranma," Raika whispered softly. "What happened to you?"

Ranma's face crumpled as Raika gently put her arms around the smaller girl. Sobs filled the small apartment, relieving the pain. Another pair of arms wrapped around Ranma and Raika, who looked up to see a very wet Linda.

Slowly, the sobbing died down, leaving Ranma blank, little more than a wooden doll. Raika and Linda helped her to sit , and the dried her with towels.

"Ranma, I have pajama's if you want to change." the purple eyed girl offered.

She held out the folded blue pair, which Ranma mechanically took. Then, after she led Ranma to the bathroom to change, she went back with fresh towels for Linda.

"Do you get the feeling we've done that before?" asked the crimson eyed girl, taking the towels. "Because I sure do."

Raika nodded, as she changed out of the water and tear soaked lavender gown, into a dry cream colored one.

"Poor Ranma," she murmured. "I don't think it's her fault. If I'm correct, it's mine, for keeping her here so long."

Linda blinked, and looked at her friend.

"Don't say that." she protested. "Ranma's needed a new home for a while, and you're nice enough to give both of us a place to stay for the night."

Raika gave a semi-shrug, and looked up at Ranma as she woodenly made her way back to them.

"Well, there's a time and place for everything," she whispered. "And now is not the time to be discussing it. Lets go to sleep, alright?"

Putting one arm around the smaller girls shoulders, Ranma hadn't changed back, and motioning for Linda to do the same, they walked into Raika's room. The futon's colors had shifted, and Raika made a mental note to chew out the Trickster Priest later, but for the moment, they laid Ranma on the blue colored sheet, with Linda on the yellow, and Raika on the purple.

"Tomorrow's a new day," Linda remarked sleepily. "But new days all suck in the end."

Ranma gave a weak smile, and Raika grinned. Then, sleep washed over them all.

* * *

1) Itai/Ite: generally means ouch or owie. Is often said rapidly.

2) Moshi Moshi: Hello. Telephone greeting.

3) Ja ne: see you later

4) Sore wa himitsu desu: Xellos' famous line, "That is a secret." Very annoying. Usually gets him pummeled.


	6. Part 6: I am who?

Disc: see prologue

AN: Can we say... writers block? Sheesh... I finally made it through. Hopefully, things'll be a lot smoother after this.

>throws something at Xellos, for messing with the remains of the giant block Don't touch that! I don't want it to come back!

Part 6:

I am... who?

**Linda**

_-flash-_

_"Giga Slave!"_

_-flash-_

_"I'm coming already!"_

_-flash-_

_"I have what!"_

_-flash-_

_"I'm your uh... third sister, Lina. Lina Inverse."_

_-flash-_

_"Fighting... without magic!"_

_"It has been done Lina." _

_"Oh stuff it Zel."_

_-flash-_

_"A triple dragon slave might do the trick."_

_-flash-_

_"Sis!"_

_-flash-_

_Fire. Everywhere, fire in brilliant streaks. Lina Inverse was the last of her sisters alive, and even that wasn't helping her at the moment. Darkness, shadows swarmed her, and the once famous Bandit killer, believing all to be lost, submitted to the eternal darkness, that was her own death._

**Ranma**

_-flash-_

_"Big sister, when can I do things like that?"_

_-flash-_

_"You want to challenge me for marriage? Your funeral."_

_-flash-_

_"Wo ai ni... damnit."_

_-flash-_

_"Another sister!"_

_-flash-_

_"Phoenix people. We're actually on good terms with em, so don't go 'fireballing' them. They won't hurt us."_

_-flash-_

_"Isn't a dragon slave powerful enough to kill this thing?"_

_-flash-_

_"Laina!"_

_-flash-_

_Water everywhere, pulling her down. No amount of thrashing in attempted swimming could get her back to the surface, where her sisters were. Darkness overwhelmed her, as she lay in the newly created Jusenkyo Spring of Drowned Girl._

_Raika_

_-flash-_

_"I don't want to fight..."_

_-flash-_

_"Freeze arrow!"_

_-flash-_

_"I like you... a lot."_

_-flash-_

_"No, I won't believe it!"_

_-flash-_

_"Run my darling sisters."_

_-flash-_

_Barely able to walk, she pushed herself upright, refusing to give up. The large hand came down again, slamming her into the earth, then flinging her into the air. Pain flared through her, and finally swamped over her, as she died._

The three girls groaned, and sat up clutching their heads, which reeled from the sudden swamp of memories. Raika looked at the other two, and made a face.

"Who else feels like she got gypped?" the blond girl asked. "He set the whole spell up for us... and Lina, I didn't think that you disliked the village that much. Why didn't you say anything?"

Linda scowled down at the floor, rubbing her temples.

"I feel more like I've been run over, than gypped." the crimson eyed girl replied. "And it wouldn't really have made a difference. I was getting used to it."

"Okay, hold the phone. You mean _I_ got drowned and as used to curse people!" Ranma shouted. "Not cool! And neechan, do you think I could test something."

"Go for it," Raika said gesturing offhandedly. "But after this, I say we beat the hell out of Xellos. Sound good?"

Linda and Ranma nodded, and the red-head bolted for the bathroom. There was a sound of running water, then a definite shriek of rage.

"I think Ranma's stuck."

"Ya think?" Linda replied dryly.

"That BASTARD!" Ranma shouted. "That purple-haired, mazoku, BASTARD!"

"Yare yare, did someone call my name?"

All three girl turned slowly, to see said purple-haired fruitcake sitting on Raika's bed. Though Linda and Raika had no martial arts training, they were putting off pretty impressive anger battle auras, however. Ranma's dwarfed them both.

"Xellos," the red-head growled. "I'm going to beat the crap out of you..."

"Ditto that," Linda and Raika responded. "You're going to be black and blue, as well as purple when we're all done with you!"

Xellos drew back, a sweatdrop running down the side of his face.

"Nice to see you too,' he said, "Lina, Laina, and Lana. How does death feel anyways?"

"Want us to demonstrate?" Linda, AKA Lina Inverse, growled. "I'm sure we can make it last a long time for you."

"Laina-chan, help?"

Raika, AKA Laina Inverse, snorted and folded her arms.

"I think you deserve it," she sniffed. "You could have at least told me that's why you helped watch over me."

Xellos turned to the diminutive redhead, and tried his charming smile.

"Not. On. Your. Life." Ranma, AKA Lana Inverse said lowly. "You are So dead!"

Linda and Ranma pounced, but Xellos had other ideas. Teleporting had always gotten him out of harms way before, and it did so again.

"At least a thanks?" he asked, feigning injured pride. "I did bring you back after all!"

"..."

The three girls exchanged looks, then Raika sighed, and let go of her anger and annoyance.

"Alright Xellos, thank you. But I still think you should have warned me about this."

"But then you never would have touched it, my cautious Raika-chan."

Raika ran an annoyed hand through her hair, which had frizzed up as a reaction to the spell. The blond girl had always prided herself on her control, but it was seriously tempting to give in to many of the primal urges and beat the bloody hell out of him.

"And my dear Lana-chan, it is nice to see you again. Shame that..."

Ranma promptly smacked him across the face, her own face as red as her hair had been.

"You say anything you cheatin' SOB, an' I'll murder ya."

"Cheating? When did I cheat? I thought you already knew..."

Raika grabbed Ranma's arm, and held her back from actually attempting to rearrange Xellos' face.

"If you even think about challengin' me again fruitcake, you'll find out I'm harder then ever ta beat!" Ranma snarled, as Linda grabbed her other arm. "I ain't gonna say 'Wo ai ni' ever again! Not ta anyone!"

Xellos actually looked hurt, and that stopped all the girls. Well, it took the edge off of Ranma's anger, and cut Linda's practically in half. Raika shook her head, remembering the arguing before, and how long it had taken the two of them to actually get along in public.

"So, Xellos," she began, "You've reminded us of who we were... are... or whatever, but what about the rest?"

"Like Amelia, and the others," he asked, smiling his normal goofy grin. "Haven't found the wayward Princess, but Gourry and Zelgadiss have been easy to keep in touch with, considering they're still alive."

"WHAT!"

"Oh, of course," Xellos said, grinning his annoying grin. "They've been around for a long time now."

Instantly, Linda had him in a headlock.

"Where are they?" she demanded. "And what have they been doing for so long!"

"Well now," Xellos said, grinning. "That..."

"Is a secret," the three girls chorused. "We know! Tell us anyways!"

In place of an answer, there was the sound of knocking at the main door. Linda release Xellos, kicked him a couple of times for good measure, and ran to the door. Raika shook her head, and stood up, brushing off her skirt.

"Coming Ranma... chan?" she asked.

"I gotta bone ta pick with the fruitcake here sis. I'll be out inna second."

Raika gave an evil grin, bent down and whispered into Ranma's ear.

"Peace, love, and harmony, remember?"

Ranma gave an equally evil grin, and Raika left, closing the door behind her. However, instead of going into the living room, where she could hear Linda babbling excitedly, she remained outside the door to her room, eyes closed.

'I'm not ready for this,' she decided after a moment. 'This is all to much for me.'

With a sigh, she bolstered her failing courage, and walked to the living room. From her room, she heard crashes, and Ranma's furious, now permanent, feminine voice shouting curses at Xellos.

Linda's chatter had ceased, as Laina looked in, and saw Gourry, and a young man with black hair, and bright blue eyes.

'Those eyes,' She mused, as she remained in the doorway. 'Why are they so familiar? I... can it... did he?'

"Nee-chan!" Linda said, imperiously. "Ain't cha gonna say hi to Zel?"

"This... can't be Zelgadiss..." Raika stared. "How...?"

The former chimera ran a hand through his now black hair, and gave her his shy smile that had first intrigued her, all those centuries ago. Her heart jumped into her throat, and she took three cautious steps into the room.

Linda rolled her eyes in irritation, but, for once, didn't say anything. She had always been annoyed with her sisters lack of self-confidence, but with what she knew about her life this time around, which admittedly wasn't much, that trait seemed to have concentrated. Raika's voice was barely above a whisper when she finally spoke.

"I'm glad you're alright..."

"Which is more than we can say for Xellos," Ranma growled, startling the group. "Lousy... Mazoku..."

Raika and Linda tactfully ignored the shimmer of tears held in those Sapphire eyes, as red-haired Ranma flopped into one of the hard-backed chairs at the kitchen table. Zelgadis looked mildly amused as a flattened and bruised Xellos wobbled into the room.

"Lana-chan sure has a temper..."

Raika promptly shoved him backwards into the hallway, and glared at him.

"She's not the only one. Let me remind you that we _all_ have a bone to pick with you for not telling us _anything_ for who knows how many years!" the blond girl snapped. "So either you start talking, or I find out where I put that recording of 'Peace, Light, Laughter and Harmony' two weeks ago."

Xellos cringed.

"Well, you weren't _supposed_ to know," he offered. "Juu-ou-sama said that I was supposed to watch you, and you'd wake up naturally. Yare yare... Looks like fate had other ideas."

A chill ran down Raika's spine.

"Onee-chan?" Linda asked, looking at the purple eyed girl, who had gone very pale.

"Huh?" Raika shook her head. "Iie, daijobu des."

"Well, now that that's settled," and Xellos stood, looking none the worse for wear. "Are you going to make something, or should we call out for some sushi?"

Ranma and Linda both pounced on him for that one.

"_You_ were the damn sushi delivery idiot!" Ranma groused. "I shoulda known! Your damn hair gives ya away every time!"

"Ah, but you weren't looking for me then, were you?"

"Ah, guys..." Raika attempted to intervene

"Well, _duh_ we weren't lookin' for ya! We was _only_ readin' the diaries!"

"Guys..."

"Oh, so a book was more interesting than me? I'm insulted Lana-chan."

"Stop _callin_' me that!"

Raika took a deep breath, and scowled.

"Aww, is Lana-chan all mad that her husband's still as irritating as ever?"

Now Linda had joined in the teasing, enjoying the scowl on Ranma's face. Raika knew that the wrong words could set off the tortured Ranma, who had been a male for so long, so she took matter into her own hands.

"ENOUGH ALREADY!" she yelled.

Everyone turned to stare at her, shock and amusement warring in five pairs of eyes.

"Thank you..." she said irately, picking up her coat. "As for dinner, here's a thought. Let's all go _out_ and eat. That way, you don't destroy my _apartment_!"

When Raika got mad, even Xellos listened to her. Shortly thereafter, they were all out the door, and on the street.

"So..." Linda hedged "Where too?"

Ranma took the lead.

"I want some okonomiyaki from 'Uuchan's'" the martial artist said flatly. "I need ta talk ta her anyways."

Raika looked worriedly after the girl, then ran to catch up with her.

"We'll come with imouto-chan," the blond said firmly. "So you won't have to be alone."

Ranma looked at Raika out of the corner of her eye, then slowed down from the chestnut-first fast walk, into a normal walk, so that Raika could keep up, as the rest of the group joined them.

"It's strange to be walking together after so long," Linda mused, looking around. "We're missing Amelia, but that's not so bad."

Ranma snickered, and Raika shook her head, remembering the hyper-active princess.

"Okay, I'm all for justice and such-like," Raika said, falling slowly back into an old familiar pattern. "But those speeches really took things over the top."

Zelgadis, Gourry and Xellos wisely walked behind the sisters, listening to them, and having a quiet conversation of their own. Both conversations broke off as they entered Uuchan's Okonomiyaki.


	7. Part 7: Things get destroyed

Disc: see prologue

Part 7:

Things get destroyed

"Welcome to Uuchans, how can I... Ranchan!"

The brown-haired chef's warm smile changed into a full-blown eager grin.

"I heard you ran out on Akane's family. Does this mean that you're going to marry me?"

Ranma, Raika, Linda, Xellos, Zelgadis, and Gourry all frowned.

"Uuchan..." Ranma sighed, after a few minutes of awkward silence. "Lets see... how to put this..."

"Well, you could always say you're already married," Xellos put in, his grin becoming a little wider.

Raika buried her face in her hands, muttering about mazoku's and death wishes. Zel put a hand on her shoulder, sympathizing. Ukyou simply laughed.

"Please sugar," Ukyou grinned. "Ranchan, married? To who?"

'Pleasedon'tsayit, pleasedon'tsayit, pleasedon'tsayit!'

"Why, me of course!"

"Oh no... he said it," Linda muttered.

"Take cover," Raika sighed, shaking her head. "Someone's gonna blow..."

No one exploded, though Ranma looked close to it, and Ukyou took a nice face-plant onto the floor, almost hitting her grill. Raika and Linda winced as the brown-haired girl looked up, the obvious emotions being shock, and surprisingly, amusement.

"Sugar, he's obviously hit you too many times in the head," she said. "Ranma's not gonna marry a guy!"

"Why not?" Xellos asked, a glint in his eye.

Ukyou shivered slightly, and her grin became a bit more forced, until Ranma elbowed Xellos in the chest, and he closed his purple eyes.

"Well, because he's a guy, obviously," the chef stated confidently

"Are you sure about that, Miss... Uuchan?"

"Ukyou. And why shouldn't I be? Ranma-honey's my fiancee!"

"Actually Uuchan..." Ranma began hesitantly. "I can't be that anymore..."

For a moment, there was naked pain in Ukyou's eyes, that was swiftly covered up by fury.

"And why's that?" she growled. "If he's serious, I'll break his neck, then you can be free to be with me!"

Raika'd had more than enough of this useless bantering of words.

"It's simple," she said, pushing her bangs out of her eyes. "Ranma's no longer cursed. Or rather, the _male_ Ranma's no longer cursed. Because there is no male Ranma anymore. Only my sister, who's standing right in front of you."

"I don't believe you," Ukyou said slowly. "I don't believe that! Ranma doesn't have any siblings!"

"_Ranma_ does not, I agree," Raika replied. "But this is not Ranma Saotome. This is Lana Inverse. Youngest of the Inverse triplets, the one most skilled in Martial arts. If you are not prepared to accept that, you are not worthy to be called a friend."

"Sugar, I think you need to stop telling such wild stories. Did you hit your head on something?"

Raika gave Ukyou a Look, then shrugged.

"Believe what you choose," the blond girl sighed. "But unless you know the truth, you won't be able to brace for the past."

"Ranma-honey, tell me she's joking."

"Sorry Uuchan..." Ranma muttered, not looking at her oldest friend, "but she's right. Ranma's dead. I'm Lana Inverse. I can't be Ranma anymore."

'So much for food,' Linda mused, crossing her arms, and leaning back on one of the tables. 'Shoulda gone for take-out... still, this is kinda interesting.'

Ukyou's face changed, reflecting the emotions the chef was feeling. Confusion. Disbelief. Realization. Frustration. And finally, anger. Raika shifted slightly, in case the chef decided to attack Ranma with those anger filled eyes.

The chef's hand edged towards her battle spatula, but the hurt look on Ranma's face stopped her.

"I didn' mean ta hurt ya Uuchan," Ranma blurted, "but yer my best friend, an I didn't wanna lose the only real friend I had! So..."

"You didn't have the guts to tell me that, because you didn't want to hurt me," Ukyou said, her voice flat. "You led me on, cause you couldn't just _choose_ one girl, and marry her! You led us all on because you couldn't make one damn decision, and _now_ you come and tell me you're sorry?"

Ranma scuffed her shoe on the linoleum, and nodded.

"Go away Ranma," Ukyou growled. "I don't want to see you for a while. Or," she added, looking at the rest of them with tear-bright angry eyes, "any of you either. Just go away!"

"Uuchan..." Ranma hesitated.

Linda laid a gentle arm around Ranma's shoulders, and led the redhead out of the restaurant, Raika and the others following swiftly after. As Raika considerately flipped the sign to read, 'Sorry, we're closed,' Ukyou picked up her battle spatula, and went out the back door. Soon, sounds of things crashing, breaking, and screams of anger and pain were heard. The blond girl hesitated for a moment, then turned away.

'Sorry Ukyou-san. You had to find out sooner or later, and I guess it's good that you found out now.'

"Rai-neechan!"

"Coming, coming."

Without a backwards glance, Ranma walked away from Uuchans, her sisters comforting arms supporting and sheltering her. Zel, Xellos, and Gourry walked behind the siblings, each lost in his own thoughts.

After a while, Linda broke the silence.

"So, where to now?" she asked. "I'm hungry."

"Me too," Gourry chimed in.

Ranma grinned faintly, and shrugged half-heartedly.

"Well, I think we should rent a couple of movies, and grab some take-out," Raika said. "Two... three emotional upheavals in as many days is more than enough for me. Besides, we need to go to school tomorrow."

"Neechan!" two voices groaned in harmony.

"No buts."

Raika's voice was firm, but there was the barest hint of a smile on her face, and her eyes twinkled.

"One, we don't want to keep them up for too long, because I _know_ they must have some sort of job to get up early for."

The look she gave the male trio had them looking away innocently, whistling haphazardly. Ranma and Linda snickered. Raika shook her head.

"Two, we want to inform the school ASAP that our names have changed, and that Ranma's a permanent girl."

Ranma glowered and growled at Xellos, who had the grace to look a bit sheepish.

"Three, _we_ have to get used to our new names. Four, we have to learn about magic, and five, we have to inform Ranma's ex-fiancees, and all her Rivals. Oh, and six, inform them that if they don't cease and desist, I will be coming after them, to finish the explanation."

Coming from a blond-haired, frail-looking girl, there was no doubt that it would make both the fiancee brigade, and the rival corps bust a gut laughing. However, Ranma and the others knew that Raika took her role as oldest sister quite seriously, and wouldn't let anything ruin her family.

Xellos knew this best of all, having been around to comfort the distraught Raika Mintayo after she had witnessed the deaths of her mother, father, and newborn brothers. The blond girl would _not_ let anything happen to her family.

"Oh, and Ranma..."

Said former Saotome half-winced, in fearful anticipation.

"Would you like me to take in your shirts tonight? We're going to have to buy you a couple of bras, and soon, but if you wouldn't mind, I'll take your shirts in so that they don't fit quite so loose."

Ranma and Linda relaxed.

"Sure sis." Ranma shrugged. "That'd be alright. But... Bras?"

Linda snickered.

"Ranma, in a bra? Hah! That I've gotta see."

Raika chuckled quietly, as Linda and Ranma began to bicker, and dropped back to walk next to Zelgadis.

"Sisters forever, I see," he remarked softly. "How have you been?"

"..."

Raika tilted her head to the side, considering how to answer the question. On the one hand, her life had been pretty miserable. Living where she wasn't wanted, after the death of her family, being forced to do menial labor in a household not her own.

On the other hand, ever since she had moved back to Japan, and had gone to Furinkan, admittedly only half a day, her life had done a complete turn-around. It had only been a few hours, but she was already smiling brighter, and feeling better than she had.

"I'm alright," she replied truthfully. "Half wondering what new problems will leap out at us, because you know _something_ will..."

Barely a second after she'd said that, a purple-haired girl attempted a swooping dive-glomp on Ranma, who dodged to the side at the last second. Zel snickered at the frustrated look that graced Raika's face.

"Me and my big mouth," she muttered, as the six of them circled around the downed girl.

"Shampoo," Ranma sighed. "The Chinese Amazon I told you about the other day."

Linda poked at the purple haired girl with a stick.

"Is she dead?" the orange-haired girl asked, doubtfully.

"I wish," Ranma muttered.

"Lets leave, before she realizes she missed Ranma, and decides to try again."

"Yeah..."

"Sounds good."

* * *

At the foot of the apartment where the girls lived, they waved goodbye as Xellos, Zelgadiss, and Gourry walked down the street, towards the train station.

"C'mon girls," Linda said, grabbing her sisters. "As neechan said, we have things to do. Lets get to them."

Grinning the trio went around the back, and joined hands.

"Okay, we ready?" Linda asked.

"No," Ranma replied mournfully, "but lets get to it anyways."

Raika grinned.

"Levitation" They whispered in unison.

Slowly, then a bit faster, they began to float up off the ground. Within minutes, they were at the level of Linda's room's balcony railing, which they jumped, climbed, or slid over, depending on the sister.

"So, I have a question," Linda said, as Raika opened the glass door, and walked into the sunny room. "If Ranma can't be Ranma, but has to be Lana, does that mean we have to go back to our old names?"

Raika shrugged, and Ranma made a face.

"It all depends," the blond girl said. "After all, Ranma can no longer be Ranma. For one thing, Ranma was born male. For another, female Ranma's hair was the same shade of red as a fire-engine."

"So?" Ranma asked, now confused.

"So, I'm betting by tomorrow, your hair will be back to the dark auburn-red it was back when we were still Amazons. Which reminds me, I'm going to check up on the Nekohaten tomorrow after school, so come home without me.

"Anyways, with it more of a natural red, you won't stick out as much. And if we style it differently, now that it's that much longer..."

Blinking, Ranma looked at herself in Linda's full length mirror, and squawked. As Raika had said, her hair was darkening before her eyes, and the braided pigtail had descended to the middle of her back.

"What the hell?" she demanded.

"The spell effects are starting to catch up with us," Linda remarked. My hair's grown too, and I didn't see you," she motioned to Raika, "pulling out your glasses to read anything, like you had to the other day."

Raika blinked her purple eyes in surprise.

"I didn't even think about it either..." she remarked.

"And Our speech patterns are going back to how they used to be," Ranma grumbled. "No more fun slang or slurs."

Linda and Raika laughed.

"I'm sure you can make your speech more 'Ranma-ish' by throwing in a few words here and there," Raika grinned. "But for now, Linda's made a good point. Who are we exactly? We know who we were, but that's not the question. The biggest thing is who are we now?"

The three of them stood there for a moment, thinking, and dredging through all their memories.

"I see no reason why we should have our current names," Linda said finally. "In fact, I'd rather forget that I was ever 'Linda Kimara.' Nothing but bad memories."

Raika nodded, then frowned.

"Still, I don't want to completely abandon my name," she protested. I have had some good times with it."

"Okay, so we'll call you Laika or Raina or something," Ranma suggested.

Raika twitched.

"No... Laina will be alright."

"So, it's official then?" Linda asked. "We're all Inverse's again?"

Ranma snorted.

"As if there was any doubt."

Raika hugged both her sisters, and proceeded to drag them into the kitchen, where she plopped them down in the new wood chairs, and tossed a couple of cups their way.

"So maybe we don't have the means to celebrate right now," she said, opening the fridge. "But we still have soda, and some sake."

"Sake?" the other two chorused. "Why sake!"

"Oh... just because," she grinned. "Besides, it's an old bottle. Shouldn't be too bad."

She poured more soda into the cups than sake, so they wouldn't get too sick, and lifted hers.

"I am Laina Inverse!"

Pale gold light fountained up from the floor, showering her in her magic, as she confirmed who she was to the universe. Then she downed her sake-soda mix, grateful she'd grabbed small cups.

"I am Lina Inverse!"

Lina's red and orange magic flared and flickered around her, like flames, and she did a victory sign from her chair, then drained her cup.

"I... I am Lana Inverse."

The blue eyed girl looked down at her cup, drained it defiantly, then looked up as her sisters, as her blue aura sprang up around her, larger than ever.

"This is too weird..." Lana muttered. "It's gonna take me forever to get used to this now."

"Well, if you give me your shirts, I can alter them now," Laina offered, as the ambient light in the room returned to normal. "Then, we all need to go to bed. All right?"

"Kay."

"Yeah, fine. If you two are going to be busy with the sewing stuff, I'm gonna get a bath first. See ya in the morning."

"Night Lina."

"G'night sis."

Yawning, Lina got up, and wobbled her way into the bathroom, as Laina and Lana went into their rooms to get the needed materials, so that Laina could begin the alterations.

* * *

Outside Laina's window, a cloaked figure waited, watching as the lights in the apartment went out one by one. Laina's was the last to go out, and the figure tensed, preparing to spring, when the girl threw back her curtains, and opened her window, to look out at the clear evening sky.

Her long blond hair was loose, a rarity for her, and fluttered very softly in the light breeze. Making a face, she lifted up one of her long locks.

"I should get this cut," she sighed. "It's so much of a hassle. Maybe I need to devise a better hairstyle, or something."

Looking up rather than out, Laina stared at the stars for a few minutes, chin in hand, purple eyes vacant, as she sifted through memories both old and new.

'I'm forgetting something,' she mused, turning back to her darkened room, faintly illuminated by glow-in-the-dark stars. 'Something that I shouldn't be. Why else would I have this niggling sense of doubt?'

With a sigh, she closed her window, and went to curl up under her covers.

The figure waited until the moon was high, and it was certain that all three girls were asleep, then, attacked. The spell had barely cleared the living room windows before it exploded in bursts of fire _and_ ice.

Immediately Lina, Laina and Lana were up and ready, nerves standing at attention, as they doused the fires, and melted the ice.

"What was that?" Lana asked, scanning the room. "And why target the top floor?"

The room was now a burned and soaked mangled and blown up mess. Laina scowled, and picked her way through the glass shards and wood splinters to what remained of the window.

"I think," she said softly. "That someone wants to get our attention, and remind us that while we may be alive, so are they. And I have the feeling that this has happened before."

Lina nodded, and focused. Laina focused also, and swept a generalizing hand at the ruined room.

"**Repair**" the said firmly.

It was as if the explosion was happening backwards, as everything fixed itself, and the room returned to normal. Xellos popped out in the living room seconds later.

"What happened?" he demanded. "I felt that over in Shibuya."

Lana shrugged slightly, and jerked her thumb at the window.

"Apparently someone wants us to know that they know we're back," Lina remarked sourly.

"Anyone hurt?" he asked, surreptitiously looking the three girls over.

"We're fine Xellos," Laina said, one palm against the repaired window glass, "but if you intended to help us catch our attacker, whoever he she or it is, they're gone now. They vanished the minute I started trying to trace the magic."

Sighing, she rubbed her head, with the chilled hand, and yawned. Lana rubbed at her eyes, and turned back to Xellos, who had landed, and was admiring the repair job that Lina and Laina had done.

The sound of the window flying open startled the trio, as did the sight of Laina, in her cream-colored feminine nightgown hauling herself up and out. The last thing they saw was the tip of her long blond hair, which, as it vanished, broke the surprised paralysis that had claimed them all.

Lina and Lana jumped out the window, following their sister, who raced ahead with the Raywing spell, silvering in the moonlight. Ahead of her was the black-cloaked figure, who was roof-hopping, and spell-tossing.

The blond girl wove around the spells, leaving them for Lina, who was much better at magic, and Lana who, if she wanted to, could take them out with pure will alone. Laina however, had to be the one to catch this strangely familiar figure.

She had to know, wanted to remember. Unfortunately, seconds before she would have been able to reach out, and snag that flapping black cloak, he vanished. She landed on the roof below, unaware that it belong to the Tendo's, and neatly fell through a hole in the roof, landing very badly, and receiving a solid rap on the back of her head.

"Wait," Genma said, looking at the girl who had landed in a crumple heap on the floor. "This isn't Ranma! Oh where is that worthless son of mine!"

Lana, who had seen Laina landing, and had surmised that she was resting, landed on the roof also, a few inches away from the hole that Laina had fallen through, and tiptoed carefully around, fully aware of her surroundings.

'Never thought I'd be back _here_ again,' she mused, disgusted. 'But where is neechan?'

Pivoting, Lana unleashed a spin kick on her former-father's sneaking form, and knocked him off the roof into the koi pond.

'And _that_ is a completely rhetorical question.'

Laina muttered some very dark and uncomplimentary things towards the house, as she climbed out of the hole, and came face-to-face with a frustrated Lana.

"Let's go home," Laina said, deliberately making more of her injured leg and head than as necessary. "I feel like I got run over."

"The Panda'll feel worse when he gets out of the pond," Lana growled, as she looped her sisters arm over her shoulder. "I'll see to that later though."

"After school," Laina remarked warningly. "Promise me, after school."

"Alright, fine... after school I get to make panda steaks."

"Okay. Now lets go home, and get as much sleep as we can, before school."

* * *

Good, yes? No? It's taken me some time to get back into writing, cause I;'m in my senior school year. almost done, should be able to devote more time to writing soon. Hope you all like. I actually should have a picutre of the three drawn soon. if you e-mail me, I'll send it to you, when it's done.

C&C! I'd love to know what you all think. ya next chapter.


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